Dugout Discussion
21 September 2025 565 comments
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There are two Premier League matches kicking off at 14:00 BST today, with high-flying Bournemouth facing Newcastle United and Sunderland hosting Aston Villa, who are without a win or goal scored this season.

TEAM NEWS

Andoni Iraola makes two changes to the side that beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 last week.

Alex Jimenez and Bafode Diakite start, as James Hill and Veljko Milosavljevic make way.

Eddie Howe makes seven alterations from the midweek Champions League defeat to Barcelona, handing starts to Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman, Lewis Hall, Joe Willock, Lewis Miley, Jacob Murphy and Nick Woltemade.

Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes drop to the bench, while Anthony Gordon is suspended and Fabian Schar is ruled out due to concussion protocols.

At The Stadium of Light, Regis Le Bris brings in Chris Rigg and Enzo Le Fee for the injured Habib Diarra and benched Simon Adingra.

Aston Villa’s two changes see Boubacar Kamara and Evann Guessand replace Lamare Bogarde and Youri Tielemans, who picked up a calf injury last weekend.

Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho are both named among the substitutes.

LINE-UPS

Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Jimenez, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert, Scott, Adams, Semenyo, Tavernier, Brooks, Evanilson

Subs: Dennis, Soler, Christie, Doak, Kluivert, Adli, Kroupi Jr, Hill, Milosavljevic

Newcastle United XI: Pope, Livramento, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Hall, Willock, Miley, Tonali, Murphy, Woltemade

Subs: Ramsdale, Trippier, Lascelles, Joelinton, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Elanga, Guimaraes


Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Reinildo, Xhaka, Rigg, Sadiki, Talbi, Le Fee, Isidor

Subs: Patterson, Neil, Ballard, Geertruida, Brobbey, Mayenda, Adingra, Traore, Masuaku

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Kamara, McGinn, Buendia, Rogers, Guessand, Watkins

Subs: Bizot, Pau, Lindelof, Maatsen, Bogarde, Jimoh, Elliott, Sancho, Malen

565 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Pino
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 months, 24 days ago

    Come on Watkins!

    1. DeSelby
      • 3 Years
      5 months, 24 days ago

      Hey, he just touched the ball. What do you want? Only went 18 minutes without getting a touch.

  2. Nightcrawler
    • 6 Years
    5 months, 24 days ago

    Watkins will definitely score now. Silly from Sunderland player

    1. Pedersen
      • 7 Years
      5 months, 24 days ago

      He will manage to dodge them all!

    2. Feanor
      • 16 Years
      5 months, 24 days ago

      Redcardo giving Watkins owners hope

    3. Cruyff's Eleven
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 months, 24 days ago

      Not on current evidence. 7 touches all game.

    4. Porkchops Johnson
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 months, 24 days ago

      I have him myself but sorry, he won't. Even against 10 men Villa are looking absolute garbage:(

  3. SINGH
    • 7 Years
    5 months, 24 days ago

    I captained Semenyo thinking he will attach but he is taking throwings lol

    1. Sun God Nika
      • 5 Years
      5 months, 24 days ago

      Let’s hope for DefCon

  4. FOREST FOREVER 2
    • 1 Year
    5 months, 24 days ago

    Where are the Goals?

    1. chocolove
      • 15 Years
      5 months, 24 days ago

      All used up yesterday

    2. Pedersen
      • 7 Years
      5 months, 24 days ago

      Coming from Haaland later today

      1. SINGH
        • 7 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Consolation at best after going down 5 - 0

      2. FOREST FOREVER 2
        • 1 Year
        5 months, 24 days ago

        As a capper I won't mind.

  5. Toast and Spy
      5 months, 24 days ago

      so at 37 mins, there's no way Ballard can get clean sheet points? Or does injury time count

      1. Haa-lala-land
        • 5 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        I'll be interested to know this as well

        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          No

      2. Mambino
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        don't get them unless you start

        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          60 mins

          So you can if you come on before 30 mins

          1. Mambino
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            5 months, 24 days ago

            oh, ok - I thought you had to start for some reason

        2. Feanor
          • 16 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          False

      3. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Injury time does not count.

      4. Studs Up
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        8 + 45 mins

      5. Cruyff's Eleven
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Effective playing time, injury time does not count.

        1. Pedersen
          • 7 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Please tell FPL towers this so I can get back my -1 for 2 goals concede Sanchez...

      6. Toast and Spy
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Well that seems silly. Oh well

      7. Haa-lala-land
        • 5 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Roefs 11 pointer loading

        1. Scapegoat Salah
          • 9 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Villa have to shoot for that 😆 😆 😆

      8. Cruyff's Eleven
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Villa look utterly bereft of ideas.

        Even against 10 men, they look hapless.

        1. Haa-lala-land
          • 5 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          As last last season, when did well, they have the same players, same manager, same tactics.
          So I guess that means that the other teams have changed something that negates whatever they did were doing right before, system wise. What that something is I have no clue.

      9. gooberman
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Rogers needs a rocket up his arse. Another pathetic display.

      10. F4L
        • 11 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        look forward to seeing wissa play with woltemade up top. could be great

      11. Dynamic Duos
        • 12 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Why is Emery not starting Elliott, is he anti goals?

      12. The Philosopher
        • 5 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        If Watkins doesn't score even against 10 men now.......

        1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
          • 9 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          There shouldn't be an if in that statement.

        2. Gizzachance
          • 11 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Got Roger’s an Watkins!
          Gone after this week even if they manage something v a 10 man promoted team

        3. keefy59
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          It's not all about Watkins
          How about if Villa don't score v 10 men
          But having said that Sunderland have a decent defence & dig in even more now down to 10.

      13. gooberman
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Buendia, Rogers and Guessand should be subbed at HT. Utterly woeful.

      14. FPL Sanky
        • 2 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Senesi half way through the defcon points....5 more to go lad

        1. More Tragic
          • 10 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Burn already there

          😎

        2. Twisted Saltergater
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          He’s on the end of every Newcastle attack. Some defenders are just a magnet to the ball!

      15. GoonerSteve
        • 16 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Where are my Chalobah defcon points?

      16. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 9 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        I nearly Bench Boost: Dubravka (4), Reinildo (-2), Josh King (1), Dewsbury-Hall (1)

        1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
          • 9 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          I deactivated it at 10:30am after seeing the weather up north

        2. GoonerSteve
          • 16 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Dodged a bullet.

          Meanwhile, I bench boosted Dubravka (4), Esteve (4), Gudmundsson (4), Reijnders (tbc) and feeling pretty happy.

      17. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        No urgency from Villa. Elliot and/or Sancho on to quicken the play and add width against deep block

      18. Twisted Saltergater
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        At what price would people consider Watkins?

        a. 9m+ - he’s the main character
        b. 8m - still got it
        c. 7m - not on pens
        d. 6m - Villa not clicking
        e. 5m - WSM reject

        1. keefy59
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          At the moment I don't think I'd want him in my squad even if he was for free !
          Taking up a valuable striker slot .

      19. HadiSLIM
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        I do NOT want to wildcard now.... I want GW8...

        But double villa (Watkins and Rogers) stinking up my team every week tempting me to press it now....

        1. Brosstan
          • 11 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Patience will be rewarded surely

        2. Gizzachance
          • 11 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Same, also wirtz all blanking each week

      20. Brosstan
        • 11 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        I was promised points from Semenyo. What the h is going on at the Vitality

      21. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        HT defcons update (select players):
        Burn 10
        Semenyo 8
        Senesi 5
        Alderete 7
        Xhaka 5
        Watkins 1

        1. Mr. O'Connell
          • 13 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Alderete is god

        2. Brosstan
          • 11 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Is Semenyo getting DC as well? Even more essential

      22. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Keane would be complaining if he was sent off for that

        Soft really

        1. The Bandit
          • 15 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          What?

      23. Hughes Your Daddy
        • 13 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Only just catching up on the scores, playing my Bench Boost this week with Reinildo on it will not be a highlight for sure 🙁

        1. Zimo
          • 7 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Reinildo and Sanchez here. We're not in the same league :p

          1. Hughes Your Daddy
            • 13 Years
            5 months, 24 days ago

            😮

          2. Zimo
            • 7 Years
            5 months, 24 days ago

            What's worse is Sunderland will keep a clean sheet too lol

        2. Magic Zico
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          And do you have Sanchez? Sorry, not trying rubbing it ...

      24. FPL Scoop
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Damn, benched Burn and Gudmundsson for VdV and Munoz this week. Bench killing it (the bar is low…)!

      25. theshazly
        • 2 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Wirtz to ?

        A ) King
        B ) Stach
        C ) Xhaka
        D ) Brooks

        So I can do Watkins > Haaland

        1. theshazly
          • 2 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Wanna do King but afraid he might be benched

          1. Mambino
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            5 months, 24 days ago

            Stach

        2. Tonyawesome69
          • 7 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Stach

        3. Pep Roulette
          • 8 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Stach

        4. Mr. O'Connell
          • 13 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          The one who got the most points this week

      26. All Hail K
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Looks like Ballard could be ready to start against NFO next week.

        1. The Bandit
          • 15 Years
          5 months, 24 days ago

          Hope so, although I will likely bench him regardless.

      27. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        No Villa subs at HT...

      28. JBG
        • 7 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        Semenyo has been so bad... my C. 2 other options blanked, let's see whar Robot does

      29. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        I need a Woltemade goal so bad. Played him and benched Petrovic and Senesi

      30. Pep Roulette
        • 8 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        If Rogers doesn't do anything against 10 men Sunderland, he's surely out of my team

      31. Mr. O'Connell
        • 13 Years
        5 months, 24 days ago

        God hits the bar